Misconceptions about the MTE 20 mode flashlights and drivers, people are missing out

What if you only want Low, High, Off?

FlashKat said:

What if you only want Low, High, Off?

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Buy a Fenix L1T before they are all gone...



I would be ok with Low -> High -> Off if the low was LOW enough.

Find a 2 level with a 0.5 lumen low that lasts for 200 hours on 1 AA battery and I'm on it.



As it is we have the Nitecore with 45 hours ($86), the Proton Pro with 250 hours ($55), and the MTE ($23). I don't know of a 2 level 1AA with a LOW low.


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If the UI allowed me to set my levels I'd be more interested.
Some people like High first, some like low first. Some think that 5 brightness settings are a good thing, some think anything more than High and low is overly complicated. Some like strobe, some hate it, some hate fast blink when it should actually be around 15 Hz :tinfoil:.
Another issue many have is how a light changes from mode to mode. Jetbeam have gotten largely ignored lately because they switch from daily to advanced via "low" and low is what many of us use the most. The only multi-function lights worth buying are user programmable ones for me. All of the other ones I've tried with more than 3 settings have gone to the collection bag.. or even worse the drawer in the next room.
I do think that the ads of "20 mode" definitely have turned me off to those lights even with the knowledge that it isn't all 20 in one grouping.

I have just ordered the 5 mode Cree version from Kaidomain

https://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=4055

TORCH_BOY said:

I have just ordered the 5 mode Cree version from Kaidomain

https://www.kaidomain.com/WEBUI/ProductDetail.aspx?TranID=4055

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That's this driver with only group 2. If that works for you, it is a good buy. :twothumbs

I prefer the Very Low setting that group 1 in the 20 mode offers. :candle:

Kilgor, thanks for the explanation on the modes. Can you please explain in word on how dim the low-low is in real world use or in comparison to another light of yours? This and the beacon mode seem to be icing on the cake for me. Very interested in this driver. Also, what is the standby mode?

+1 to more info, honestly, I never even bothered reading the specs of that light..haha

Crenshaw

kilgor said:

1) Very Low -> Low -> Med-> Hi -> Standby -> 10 second Beacon

In this mode it acts as a 5 level flashlight with a LOW low level.

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2 questions for you:

1) What is "Standby"?

2) Does the light use a PWM (visible flickering) to achieve the low levels?

I have the 20 mode MTE Rebel, I don't know why the Chinese language translates this very low (PWM )mode into "stand by" perhaps it because the light may be able to run hundreds of hours in this mode. it's very very low, about as low as a Photon Proton Pro on it's lowest setting or half as bright as a single 5 mm white led.

The 20 mode MTE Rebel is a sleeper buy for a single AA light. I would like to find where I can get the Cree version though.

betalight said:

I have the 20 mode MTE Rebel, I don't know why the Chinese language translates this very low (PWM )mode into "stand by" perhaps it because the light may be able to run hundreds of hours in this mode. it's very very low, about as low as a Photon Proton Pro on it's lowest setting or half as bright as a single 5 mm white led.

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Can you see the LED flicker from the PWM on any of the levels? The PWM flicker drives me crazy on my Jetbeam C-LE v1.0 and my Rexlight 2.0. :hairpull:

The 20 mode MTE Rebel is a sleeper buy for a single AA light. I would like to find where I can get the Cree version though.

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I've only found 5 mode Cree version at KaiDomain. No 20-mode Cree version anywhere (yet?).

betalight said:

I have the 20 mode MTE Rebel, I don't know why the Chinese language translates this very low (PWM )mode into "stand by" perhaps it because the light may be able to run hundreds of hours in this mode. it's very very low, about as low as a Photon Proton Pro on it's lowest setting or half as bright as a single 5 mm white led.

The 20 mode MTE Rebel is a sleeper buy for a single AA light. I would like to find where I can get the Cree version though.

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So, is tier one:

Very Low -> Low -> Med-> Hi -> Very, Very Low (?)-> 10 second Beacon

Thanks

Mine left Hong Kong last week and I will attempt to answer your questions when I get it.

I have a Nitecore defender in my hand and a Proton Pro on the way. I will do a runtime comparison on these three lights on lowest settings when the MTE and Proton Pro come in.

In the meantime, here's a good thread about the 20 mode Rebel 100 that should answer a lot of your questions.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/178256

And here is the driver for sale by itself ($3.96 delivered).

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7880

swxb12 said:

So, is tier one:

Very Low -> Low -> Med-> Hi -> Very, Very Low (?)-> 10 second Beacon

Thanks

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I'm not so sure that's what he meant. Hopefully he or someone else will clarify. He said "Very low (PWM) mode". I wonder why he put included the PWM.

Edit: After reading the other thread it seems that standby is indeed a very, very low mode.

Ok, I got mine in today. It took 18 days from order to delivery, not too bad for $23 delivered. They sent a black version instead of a gray one, but it looks fine and has a fully orange peel reflector.

First impressions:

Feels well made, the anodize is nice and even. No sharp edges anywhere (why can't you do this Nitecore???). Knurling allows a good grip on the flashlight.

It can tailstand.

Glow in the dark reverse clicky. Modes are changed by half presses of the clicky. No head twisting!!!

No instructions included. When it arrived, it was in the level three group with all of those strobe modes. If I didn't know how to work it aleady, I would have been very frustrated. However, I easily put it in the first group and it stays there.

The standy by mode is indeed a very very low level. It is prefect for reading (I took it into my darkened bathroom to test). It is A LOT lower than my Nitecore Di's low level (45 hours runtime) and about the same as my LRI Proton Pro's low level (250 hours runtime).

The beam profile is slightly warmer than the Nitecore's Cree Q5. The hot spot is about 2X bigger than the Nitecore. No rings anywhere to be found. The edges of the hotspot have small flares, a little like small solar flares coming off of the sun. Spill is about 50% wider than the Nitecore DI. It's a typical rebel 100 with an orange peel reflector.


I will try to get beamshot comparisons up tonight and am going to start runtime comparison on the MTE versus the Proton Pro tonight. This will take around 10 days to complete so check back.

I am very happy with this light and if the runtime tests show what I think I will get, (>150 hours on low) I will be THRILLED.

Oh, I forgot. I see NO PWM flicker on any level. The only flicker seen is a onetime indicator flicker on the levels where you change groups (very low on group 1, high on groups 2 and 3).

I used it to read in the bathroom on ultralow (standby) and it just seemed like a steady beam to me.

Is there any way to know if the Rebel in this light is subject to the recall?

- Vikas

Vikas Sontakke said:

Is there any way to know if the Rebel in this light is subject to the recall?

- Vikas

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It depends on when it was purchased.

kilgor said:

The beam profile is slightly warmer than the Nitecore's Cree Q5. The hot spot is about 2X bigger than the Nitecore. No rings anywhere to be found. The edges of the hotspot have small flares, a little like small solar flares coming off of the sun. Spill is about 50% wider than the Nitecore DI. It's a typical rebel 100 with an orange peel reflector.

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I really like what I'm hearing. Looking forward to hearing more results, kilgor. Take your time, I might just go ahead and order one before they sell out.

The body looks very similar to NCDI, anyone know if it will lego?